Director of Information Technology

Founded in 2003, Kanner & Pintaluga is a NLJ500 and Mid-Market Pro 50 law firm that has recovered over $1 billion for property damage and personal injury clients nationwide. With nearly 100 lawyers and more than 30 offices throughout the Central and Southeastern United States, our primary goal is to achieve the most favorable outcome for our clients, who have the absolute right to receive the maximum compensation for their damages.


POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Information Technology leads the firm's IT function at the operational level, overseeing infrastructure, security, applications, and support services across all offices and practice groups. This is a hands-on leadership role that requires equal strength in three areas: building trusted relationships with partners, practice group leaders, and staff; leading and developing a high-performing IT team; and managing the IT budget and vendor relationships with financial discipline. The successful candidate will be a visible, approachable presence within the firm who translates technical priorities into business terms and builds the firm-wide buy-in needed to execute them.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Relationship Building & Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to partners, practice group leaders, and administrative staff, building strong working relationships across the firm to understand business needs and translate them into technology solutions.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the IT team, fostering a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a visible, approachable point of contact for technology matters; regularly meet with attorneys and department heads to gather feedback and anticipate needs.
• Partner closely with the CIO, Executive Committee, and other firm leadership to align IT strategy with overall firm strategy and growth plans.
• Champion change management efforts, communicating the rationale and benefits of new systems or processes in ways that drive adoption across all levels of the firm.
• Represent IT effectively in firm-wide meetings and committees, building credibility and influence outside the IT department.

Financial Management

• Develop, manage, and monitor the annual IT operating and capital spending plans, ensuring spend is aligned with firm priorities and delivers measurable value.
• Analyze and report on IT spending trends, identifying cost-saving opportunities without compromising service quality or security.
• Negotiate contracts and manage relationships with software vendors, hardware suppliers, and outsourced service providers to ensure favorable terms and accountability for performance.
• Build and present business cases (ROI, total cost of ownership) for major technology investments to firm leadership.
• Track and forecast departmental expenses, providing regular financial reporting to the CIO and Executive Committee.
• Evaluate build-vs-buy and cloud-vs-on-premise decisions through a financial and risk lens.

Technology Strategy & Operations

• Oversee day-to-day IT operations, including network infrastructure, help desk/support services, applications, and telecommunications.
• Direct the selection, implementation, and maintenance of legal-specific systems, including document management, practice management, e-discovery, and time/billing platforms.
• Develop and execute a multi-year technology roadmap that supports attorney productivity, client service, and firm growth.
• Own business continuity and disaster recovery planning to protect firm and client data.

Information Security & Risk Management

• Maintain and continuously improve the firm's cybersecurity posture, including data privacy practices required to protect confidential client information.
• Ensure IT policies, procedures, and controls comply with client security requirements, outside counsel guidelines, and applicable regulations.
• Oversee vendor security assessments and manage the firm's response to client security audits and questionnaires.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

EXPERIENCE/REQUIREMENTS:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 8+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, including at least 3 years managing an IT team, ideally within a law firm or other professional services environment.
• Demonstrated success building relationships and credibility with attorneys, partners, or other senior professionals in a client-service organization.
• Proven experience managing an IT budget of comparable scope, including vendor negotiation and contract management.
• Strong knowledge of law firm technology systems (document management, practice management, e-billing, e-discovery) or a comparable regulated, client-facing industry.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

Preferred

• Experience in a law firm or other professional services firm of similar size.
• Relevant certifications such as PMP, ITIL, or a security credential (e.g., CISSP, CISM).
• Experience leading firm-wide technology change initiatives (e.g., cloud migration, DMS implementation).

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Relationship Building - Builds genuine trust and rapport with partners, staff, and vendors; is seen as approachable and responsive.
• Leadership & Team Development - Motivates, coaches, and grows a technical team; delegates effectively while remaining accountable for outcomes.
• Financial Acumen - Manages budgets with discipline; makes and defends data-driven, cost-conscious decisions.
• Business Partnership - Understands the firm's business and client-service priorities and connects technology decisions to them.
• Communication & Influence - Communicates clearly across technical and non-technical audiences; builds buy-in for change.
• Judgment Under Pressure - Makes sound decisions during outages, security incidents, or competing priorities.

FIRM BENEFITS

The Firm offers a competitive benefits package for our full-time employees and their families. Here is a summary of our benefits (the list is not all-inclusive):

• Competitive Wage
• Paid Time Off, Holiday, Bereavement, and Sick Time
• 401K Retirement Savings Plan with Firm match
• Group Medical/Dental/Vision Plans
• Employer-Covered Supplemental Benefits
• Voluntary Supplemental Benefits
• Annual Performance Reviews

Equal Opportunity Statement

Kanner & Pintaluga is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Kanner & Pintaluga retains the right to change, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time - in its sole discretion. Employment is at will.

E-Verify

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 Form.